CONTROLLING TIME
”Remember that time is money”
Benjamin Franklin 1748
Tunnel project
Hallandsås
Construction started in 1989 and the expected finish was then 1997
Today the new estimated time for completion is set to 2015...
18 years delay!!!
The total cost for the construction was planned to be around €100 M
The new updated total project cost is planned to be €1050 M
Controlling time is all about managing project and delays as
effective as possible and to plan for every possible risk to avoid delays
and disruptions which will lead to increased construction costs.
Time planning is a key function in the construction management process.
Constructions seldom follows the plan exactly and the original time plan
often has to be reviewed many times before completion.
It is therefore crucial that the original planning process includes the
possibility to follow-up and adjust the progress accordingly.
This is executed through the Contract Master Programme which is
were the contractor and client can monitor the on-going progress of
the project.
The contract master programme is in practice a schedule or chart
which is a living constantly updated document which is distributed to
all involved parties is the project.
A detailed time planning process can help you avoid many of
the possible risks in a construction project. The planning can also help to solve
who is responsible for the potential delay.
There are always risks that is impossible
to plan for, weather delays and accidents for example.
If the delay or disruption occurs there is almost certain
that there will be a dispute in who did what and why.
It is therefore very important with a carefully developed contract
written between all parties
Contractor's master program
In every project you need to do a contractor's master program
and that can be for example:
• Gantt (bar) chart with no logic links
•Linked bar chart showing program logic
•Precedence network
•Critical path analysis (arrow) diagram
• Line of balance
•Time-chain age diagram
•A combination of above
Milestones
Milestones are symbols shown on the contractor's program
- normally shown by using a small diamond shape (♦)
- that are especially useful in programming and delay analysis.
Milestones have duration of zero but can still be linked to the program
logic in the usual way.
Progress and Delay
Regular updates
1. The contractor notifies the contract administrator that the works have been or are
likely to be delayed beyond the contract completion date
2. The contract administrator then has a set amount of time to consider the situation.
3. If the delay is the employer's fault: The contract administrator will make a decision to
grant the contractor an extension of time
4. If the delay is the contractor's fault: The contract administrator will remind the
contractor of the contract completion date and his contractual obligation to proceed
regularly and diligently with the works
5. In either case, the contractor’s master program will be an important reference point to
assist the contract administrator in coming to a decision.
Progress recording
Procedure for recording progress.
Progress recording procedures in practice.
Progress recording on the bar chart.
Progress recording by color coding.
Progress recorded by computer.
The monthly site progress report.
Delay
It's rather common in construction projects with delays and disruptions.
There is lots of reasons why you might get delays/disruptions.
Around 40% of all projects are finished late,
so it’s a big problem for the construction industry not following their time-schedule.
Most commonly the projects are delayed by a few weeks or months.
Some examples of reasons why delay may occur:
Over-optimistic programming, contractual disputes
or unusual procurements methods.
Delays are dealt with in standard construction contracts through
specific clauses dealing with:
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•
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Extensions of time for specific events beyond the contractor’s control
Procedures for the contractor to follow when making an application for an
extension of time
Procedures for the contract administrator to follow when giving consideration to
the contractor’s application
“Delay and disruption is a phrase which is commonly used in construction
just like loss and expense or health and safety”
ICE and JCT contracts have different clauses
who provide reasons why extension of time will be granted.
The architect or contract administrator decides
that a “relevant event” has occurred which will delay the completion date.
Example: JCT 05 Standard building contract (JCT= The joint contract tribunal)
Exceptionally adverse weather conditions
Compliance with architect’s instructions
Omission or default of the architect
(which could be implied to mean failure to comply with an information release schedule)
Deferment of the possession date by the employer
Delay analysis
The questions are simple.
“What was the cause of the delay and who bears the time and money risk”?
Each of the parties will want the best settlement and will of course argue.
For analysis there is various of methods:
Theoretical methods
-A model of what was planned is produced ignoring how the project was actually constructed and
actual events are imposed on the model to see how they may have influenced the end date
-The “but-for” methods
- Create models of either planned intentions
or the as-built project and seek to address causation on the basis of assumption
Update methodologies
- Which relive the project in incremental stages, consider
events at the time they arose and offer the most extensive analysis
What can you as manager do to minimize your risks of delay?
Meetings
Avoid meetings where each person in the room gives a status update. Use the time of the
meetings to find risks and issues, which the team easy can discuss and find a solution for. As we
done on our projects, use an Agenda that you stick to.
To-do list
E-mail fixation is a modern-day problem
that can distract you from doing the tasks you need or plan to.
Create a daily to-do list who will keep you focused on achieving your objectives.
Don’t do the Work
Many project managers make the mistake
of getting involved in doing the work. Avoid this at all costs.
Managing projects is a full-time job and taking your eye off the ball can lead to problems.
THEEND
further reading
our friend Brian Cooke